Help!!

[Marshmallow1234]

Story: I got 3 hens. And I have 1 small hen who is not laying. This October, I got 2 more hens who are bigger and are laying. They didn’t grow up together. When I introduced them, I just put them outside together (well I didn’t know I thought they would get along). They have been biting the smaller hen more and more and bullying her. She doesn’t eat much when around them and is very scared when I touch her. Today I just noticed a whole bald spot with no feathers on the back of her when I was petting her.
Problem: the 2 older hens are bullying my younger hen and chasing her BUT the younger hen always follows them around keeping a distance is it because there’s no other chickens around? She also calls out for them if they are gone but the other 2 hens don’t care

Today I tried to put the smaller hen in the cage in the picture so they wouldn’t bite her. Is that okay? What should I do!? Should I put her in a big box and I put her in my house to sleep tonight? Will she be okay and will she like that? I rlly like her and I want her to not get hurt and sad (
Please answer me ASAP

 

[TheGirls6]

I am so sorry to hear this. I have a similar situation where I have three chickens I got last spring, and I tried to intergrate them into the flock, but the chickens I had before them bited them and did not treat the little chicks nicely. So I had to buy a new coop, which is not ideal for your situation. Your bully chickens could be doing this because of stress,bordom,sickness, or the coop being too crowded. My chickens a few weeks ago were molting and cooped up in their coop for awhile, since there was snow and they were all picking on each other, it went away thankfully. Here are some tips
1. Bust their bordom by giving them activities to do all day long, I like to put a cabbage ball in their coop for them to peck at. There are other ways, all you have to do is serch “chicken bordom busters”.
2. Make sure there is plenty of room to roam in the coop
3. Give your chickens some fresh air, by letting them roam around your yard a bit(that helped my chickens). Some chicken owners do not like to free range their chickens, this is a personal choice, but I recommend this. Just make sure to watch your chickens,so they don’t get eaten. I have learned from experience.
4. There is this liquid called “Blue- Kote, which hides the sight of the victim chickens wound from the bully chickens. Chickens are very attracted to the color red(blood). If there are any wounds, make sure to clean them up. Blue Kote also has a icky taste for when the chickens peck at the wound. It is a deterent for the bully chickens, you just apply it to the wound. I recommend cleaning the wound before this. Also maybe it is best to keep your chicken isolated from the rest until this problem goes away.
Hope this helps.

 

[TheGirls6]

If you do bring her in your house, make sure she has food,water,hay,and is warm. I am sure she will be ok, but since she will be in a smalller area(box) I recommend letting her spread her wings by walking around the yard with her for a little.

 

[Marshmallow1234]

If you do bring her in your house, make sure she has food,water,hay,and is warm. I am sure she will be ok, but since she will be in a smalller area(box) I recommend letting her spread her wings by walking around the yard with her for a little.

She tried to get out the box

 

[Marshmallow1234]

I am so sorry to hear this. I have a similar situation where I have three chickens I got last spring, and I tried to intergrate them into the flock, but the chickens I had before them bited them and did not treat the little chicks nicely. So I had to buy a new coop, which is not ideal for your situation. Your bully chickens could be doing this because of stress,bordom,sickness, or the coop being too crowded. My chickens a few weeks ago were molting and cooped up in their coop for awhile, since there was snow and they were all picking on each other, it went away thankfully. Here are some tips
1. Bust their bordom by giving them activities to do all day long, I like to put a cabbage ball in their coop for them to peck at. There are other ways, all you have to do is serch “chicken bordom busters”.
2. Make sure there is plenty of room to roam in the coop
3. Give your chickens some fresh air, by letting them roam around your yard a bit(that helped my chickens). Some chicken owners do not like to free range their chickens, this is a personal choice, but I recommend this. Just make sure to watch your chickens,so they don’t get eaten. I have learned from experience.
4. There is this liquid called “Blue- Kote, which hides the sight of the victim chickens wound from the bully chickens. Chickens are very attracted to the color red(blood). If there are any wounds, make sure to clean them up. Blue Kote also has a icky taste for when the chickens peck at the wound. It is a deterent for the bully chickens, you just apply it to the wound. I recommend cleaning the wound before this. Also maybe it is best to keep your chicken isolated from the rest until this problem goes away.
Hope this helps.

Where should she sleep tonight? She won’t go in the box and tries to get out of the hole

 

[TheGirls6]

Put her back where she was outside, and add some hay.

 

[Marshmallow1234]

Put her back where she was outside, and add some hay.

She just ran back to the coop....